Abingdon Police Department- Bank Robbery on 12-31-2018

Abingdon Police Department

For Immediate Release

On Monday, December 31, 2018, at approximately 2:40 p.m., Abingdon Police, along with members of the Washington County, VA Sheriff’s Office, United States Marshal’s Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigations, were dispatched to Carter Bank and Trust, located at 238 West Main Street, in reference to a robbery. Upon arrival, officers spoke with the employees who stated that a white male, dressed in dark clothing entered the bank, handed a gray plastic bag to a teller and instructed the teller to fill the bag with money. The suspect claimed that he was armed, but did not produce a firearm. The teller complied, handing over an undetermined amount of traceable United States currency. Before leaving he told the employees to get on the ground and remain there until he left.

The suspect was wearing dark gloves, a dark colored zip up hoodie, dark pants with a light colored stripe on each leg, and dark athletic shoes. Most remarkable is the mask the suspect used. The mask resembles a, “dia de los muerto,” or “day of the dead” mask. It is predominantly white with a single elastic strap that fits around the head. The mask has several bright colored features that may include gold or yellow.  The suspect is between 5’9” and 5’11” and heavy set.  He does not appear to be physically fit, and may be slightly overweight. In addition, he walks with an odd gait, as if he has a previous leg/knee injury.

In addition, the suspect may be driving a dark colored (maroon to dark green) older model Subaru station wagon. This vehicle was parked on Remsburg Drive at the public restroom prior to the robbery, and departed shortly after the bank was robbed.

If you have any information concerning a heavy set male, who owns a day of the dead mask and drives, or has access to, a dark colored Subaru station wagon, or similar vehicle, who suddenly has spending money, please contact the Abingdon Police Department at 276-628-3111 or Washington County, VA Dispatch at 276-676-6277 with any information that you can provide.

You can also e-mail your tips to crimereport@abingdon-va.gov.

There is no further information at this time.

APD Call Log December 17-24, 2018

Abingdon Police Department- Shooting on 12-20-18

Abingdon Police Department

                   

For Immediate Release

On Thursday, 12/20/2018, at 11:21 a.m. hours Abingdon Police responded to the Interstate Service Center, located at 330 Old Eleven Court, Abingdon, VA., in reference to a report of a gunshot wound. Upon arrival, officers found a white male seated in the driver’s seat of a Ford Bronco, who had discharged his handgun in to his left leg. Officer B. T. Graham immediately made the scene safe and began administering first aid, which included the application of a tourniquet.

The Washington County, VA Life Saving Crew responded and transported the patient to the hospital.  Further investigation revealed that the victim arrived at the Service Center to leave his vehicle for a safety inspection.  Upon arrival, the victim began to unload his firearm, prior to exiting his vehicle.  According to witnesses, while in the process of making the weapon safe, the weapon discharged; striking the victim in the leg.

There is no further information at this time.

APD Call Log December 3-10, 2018

2018 APD Employee of the Year

The Abingdon Police Department recognizes outstanding service to our community by our sworn and civilian employees by awarding an Employee of the Year. The employee’s peers select the person whom they feel has contributed the most to the town and to the department during the previous year.

Chief Sullivan presented the 2018 Employee of the Year award to Patrol Officer, Justin Greer. PTL. Greer holds himself to the highest ethical standards at all times and provides a positive and reassuring presence to all he encounters. He was cited by his peers for never complaining, working the most overtime, and always putting his best foot forward. We are truly grateful to have him as part of the APD family and extremely proud to recognize him as our Employee of the Year!

PAVING NOTICE for December 7, 2018

W & L Construction will begin paving operations on Cummings Street (RTE. 75) south of I-81 to the Abingdon Town Limits on Friday December 7^th at 09:00 a.m.  You should expect delays if you are trying to access the Exit 17 area from south of the interstate.  Please DO NOT call 9-1-1 to request police, or emergency services staff, to direct traffic.  The paving companies employ traffic control staff for this purpose.  The police are not experienced with paving operations and will only slow the paving process.  Further, dispatchers are trained to treat EVERY call as an emergency.  Calling 9-1-1 to complain about traffic being stopped, while a flagger is present, is not an emergency.  In addition, the time that the dispatcher wastes with your call could be better served with a person who is in an actual emergency. Virginia code 18.2-461 makes it a class 1 Misdemeanor to make such calls.

The Code of Virginia, in 46.2-834, grants flaggers authority to assume control over traffic flow, and dictates that motorists obey the signals of flaggers.  The code states, “Whenever an authorized flagger assumes control of vehicular traffic into or through a temporary traffic control zone using hand-signaling devices or an automated flagger assistance device, all drivers of vehicles shall obey his signals.”

Please be prepared to stop and obey all signals from designated flaggers if you choose to enter Abingdon via Rte. 75 during paving operations.  Life is short, don’t let sitting in traffic stress you out.

 

APD Call Log November 26-December 3, 2018

APD Call Log November 19-26, 2018

TRAFFIC ADVISORY FOR ABINGDON KIWANIS CHRISTMAS PARADE

Abingdon Police Department

                                               

For Immediate Release

Traffic Advisory for abingdon kiwanis christmas Parade

The Abingdon Kiwanis Christmas Parade is set for Saturday, December 1st. The parade begins at 6:00 p.m. however, street closures will occur earlier to allow the parade to line up. 

Be alert for pedestrians and prepare for detours, delays, and officers directing traffic.

            If you are traveling through Abingdon, or plan to attend the parade, you are encouraged to leave at least an hour earlier than planned to insure that you reach your destination on time. Above all, be prepared to wait. Traffic will be heavy and there will be a large number of pedestrians in the downtown area. 

Officers deployed for this event have certain priorities; specifically pedestrian safety and traffic flow.  Please do not honk your horn or attempt to initiate conversation with officers directing traffic.  Traffic will be too heavy for officers to answer questions from each passing car, while avoiding traffic coming from the opposite direction.  Yelling obscenities at the officers as you pass or drive away also does little good. No matter how you feel about the officer not letting you go the direction you want, screaming profanities out your car window will only attract negative attention. If you feel the need to yell, just yell Merry Christmas.  Remember that the officers are in place for the safety of EVERYONE attending the parade, including themselves.  

The Code of Virginia addresses drivers who do not obey officers, ignore their signals, drive around barricades or use profanity in public:

§ 46.2-834. Signals by law-enforcement officers, crossing guards, and flaggers.

A. Law-enforcement officers may assume control of traffic at any intersection, regardless of whether such intersection is controlled by lights, controlled by other traffic control devices, or uncontrolled. Whenever any law-enforcement officer so assumes control of traffic, all drivers of vehicles shall obey his signals.

B. Law-enforcement officers and uniformed school crossing guards may assume control of traffic otherwise controlled by lights, and in such event, signals by such officers and uniformed crossing guards shall take precedence over such traffic control devices.

§ 46.2-852 Reckless driving; general rule.

Irrespective of the maximum speeds permitted by law, any person who drives a vehicle on any highway recklessly or at a speed or in a manner so as to endanger the life, limb, or property of any person shall be guilty of reckless driving.

§ 18.2-388. Profane swearing and intoxication in public; penalty.

If any person profanely curses or swears or is intoxicated in public, whether such intoxication results from alcohol, narcotic drug or other intoxicant or drug of whatever nature, he shall be deemed guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor.

Street closures will occur on the following schedule:

·         East Main Street will be closed from Hutton Street to Court Street from 4:00 p.m., until the parade concludes.

o   Motorist needing to access this area of East Main Street should use exit 17 from Interstate 81 to access East Main Street.

·         East Main Street from Court Street to Cummings Street will be closed to traffic at 5:45 p.m. to clear the parade route.

o   Motorist needing to access the Barter Theatre, Barter Stage 2 or the Martha Washington Inn before 5:45 p.m. should plan to arrive prior to that time.

·         West Main Street from Cummings Street to Route 19 will be closed to eastbound traffic at 5:45 p.m.

·         Westbound traffic from Court Street to Route 19 will be allowed to use West Main Street until the parade approaches.

Drive safely and have a great holiday experience in downtown Abingdon.

###

APD Call Log November 12-19, 2018

This Thanksgiving, Law Enforcement Reminds Drivers to Click It or Ticket

This Thanksgiving,

Law Enforcement Reminds Drivers to Click It or Ticket

Abingdon, VA—This Thanksgiving, State and Local Law Enforcement across the country are teaming up with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on a high-visibility Click It or Ticket campaign to work toward reducing the number of fatalities that occur when vehicle passengers fail to buckle up.

Thanksgiving is one of the busiest travel times of the year. With millions of Americans on the road en route to visit friends and family for the Thanksgiving holiday, it is more essential than ever to ensure all vehicle passengers are buckled up. With more vehicles on the roads, the chances of being involved in a vehicle crash increase greatly. For this reason, law enforcement will be patrolling the streets, looking for unbuckled passengers. If they spot you, they will pull you over and issue a ticket.

The Click It or Ticket campaign is designed to save lives by making sure all Abingdon, VA drivers and passengers get the message to wear their seat belts. The campaign combines powerful messages about seat belt safety with increased patrolling for all unbuckled motorists.

During the 2016 Thanksgiving weekend (6 p.m. Wednesday, November 23, to 5:59 a.m. Monday, November 28), 341 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes nationwide. Tragically, 49 percent of those killed were unbuckled, representing a decrease in seat belt use compared to the same weekend in 2015, when 52 percent of those killed in traffic crashes were unrestrained. Nighttime proved even more deadly, with 55 percent of Thanksgiving weekend crashes occurring at night. Much like drunk driving, these deaths represent needless tragedies for families across America. These deaths could have been completely prevented with the simple click of a seat belt.

For more information about traveling safely this Thanksgiving, please visit www.nhtsa.gov/campaign/click-it-or-ticket.

###

APD Call Log November 5-12, 2018

APD Call Log October 29-November 5, 2018

Abingdon Police Participate in “No Shave November” to Benefit Local High School Student Battling Cancer

                                               

For Immediate Release

Abingdon Police Participate in “No Shave November” to Benefit Local High School Student Battling Cancer

The officers of the Abingdon Police Department are forgoing their razors for the month of November in favor of facial hair and making a $25 contribution to a local high school student who is battling cancer.  

Officers participating in the No Shave November campaign have been approved to grow beards, which must be groomed and properly maintained, throughout the month. This is a temporary change to the department policy which prohibits beards for officers. Participating officers must make a minimum of $25 contribution to Connor Crushes Cancer, a go fund me page established to offset expenses for the family of Connor Bartz. Connor is a senior at Abingdon High School, and is fighting cancer for a second time. He is undergoing experimental treatment in Cincinnati that includes immunotherapy every three weeks. This means lots of gas, hotels, food, and medical expenses for Connor and his family. 100% of funds raised will be sent directly to the Bartz family from Go Fund Me.

In an effort to provide greater assistance to the Bartz family, the Chief is encouraging officers to individually raise more money for this cause to be donated at the end of November, 2018. Throughout the month, officers, and their facial hair will be highlighted on our social media accounts to keep our followers apprised of their progress.  In addition, our followers will be afforded an opportunity to choose the best facial hair at the conclusion of the month.  The officer selected will be allowed to keep his beard until January 1, 2019. 

The Abingdon Police Department challenges our community to join us in participating in No Shave November by making a donation to the Bartz family.  The go fund me page can be accessed at: https://www.gofundme.com/connor-crushes-cancer. We will also accept donations for the Connor Crushes Cancer fund at the Abingdon Police Department located at 425 West Main Street.    

APD Call Log October 22-29, 2018